


It Takes The Whole Of London

by afteriwake



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Adoptive Parent Molly, Apologetic Sherlock, Awesome Greg Lestrade, Awesome John Watson, Awesome Mary Morstan, Awesome Molly Hooper, Awesome Sally Donovan, Cultural Differences, Epic Friendship, Friendship, Gen, John is a Good Friend, Kind Molly, Lestrade is a good friend, Loss of Parent(s), Mary Lives, Mary is a Good Friend, Maternal Mary, Maternal Molly, Mentioned Sherlock Holmes/Janine, Minor Mary Morstan/John Watson, Molly Hooper & Greg Lestrade Friendship, Molly Hooper & John Watson Friendship, Molly Hooper & Mary Morstan Friendship, Molly Hooper & Sally Donovan Friendship, Molly Hooper Appreciation, Molly Is Patient, Molly is a Good Friend, Mother-Daughter Relationship, Motherhood, Oblivious Sherlock, POV Molly Hooper, Parenthood, Past Molly Hooper/Tom - Freeform, Paternal Lestrade, Post-Episode: s03e02 The Sign of Three, Sherlock Being Sherlock, Sherlock Holmes & Molly Hooper Friendship, Single Parents, Sudden Parenthood, Tom Is An Asshole, caring molly, it takes a village, paternal John
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-12
Updated: 2017-08-17
Packaged: 2018-07-23 15:57:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 4,782
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7469820
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/afteriwake/pseuds/afteriwake
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When one of Molly's best friends and her husband die in a car accident, Molly finds herself the guardian of their six-month-old daughter, and in an instant her entire life changes, and she comes to find solace in the fact that there is truth in the old adage "it takes a village" when she finds herself raising Maya on her own.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [felis_blue](https://archiveofourown.org/users/felis_blue/gifts).



> So this is one of two requsts written for **felis_blue** , who has generously helped me when I got some unexpected and distressing news last night regarding my mother's health. Originally the prompt was for a wlw couple but we couldn't pick one for this fandom so I suggested Molly as a single parent and her friends helping to raise the child with her, and Felis mentioned a child being a good reason to get out of a bad relationship and I immediately thought of the gap between "The Sign of Three" and "His Last Vow" and this came about. I hope you enjoy, dear!

She was startled awake by her ringing mobile. She reached over for it, groping on the nightstand for a moment, knowing the ringing was only waking her up. Tom wasn’t over at her flat tonight, as had been the norm since the hand stabbing incident at the wedding three weeks prior. There was definitely a tenseness between them, she’d noticed that. She was trying to fix it, but at this point, she wasn’t sure she _could_ , really. And she almost wasn’t sure she _wanted_ to, to be honest.

After a few more moments she finally had the small phone in her hand, and she looked at the number on it. She didn’t recognize it at all, and that was peculiar. Frowning, she swiped her thumb across the screen to accept the call and then put her mobile to her ear. “Hello?” she asked, her sleep-tinged voice giving way to a yawn before she’d finished.

“Margaret Hooper?” a woman asked.

Strange. Most people referred to her as Molly, not by her given name, even during most official calls. “Speaking,” she replied.

“Are you acquainted with Rani Grover?” the woman asked.

Molly sat up more, frowning. “Yes,” she said. “She’s a friend of mine, one of the oncologists at Barts. May I ask what this is about?”

“You’re listed as her emergency contact,” the woman said. “She...I regret to inform you there’s been an automobile accident. She passed away this evening at the Royal London.”

Molly felt as though she’d been stabbed in the gut and she almost dropped the phone. Rani had been one of the women she’d gone through medical school with. Molly had been the maid of honor at her wedding and Rani was going to be the matron of honour in hers and Molly was godmother to-- Her eyes went wide. “Was Clifford in the car? Was Maya?”

“I’m afraid they both were. Her husband was also killed, but their daughter survived. That’s why we’re calling. Maya has minor injuries, but we’re unsure who her legal guardian is, who is to make decisions for her care.”

“Neither Rani nor Clifford had family,” Molly said. “I was asked to be Maya’s godmum. I can...I can take care of her until things get settled, I suppose.”

“Very well. We’ll be keeping her overnight but she can be released to your care in the morning.” There was a pause. “I know your reputation, Doctor Hooper. You’re well liked by many people among those at Barts Health, as was Doctor Grover. We’re all very sorry for your loss here. If there’s anything we can do...”

“I don’t have anything for a baby,” she said quietly.

“I’ll see what we can gather up for you. Nappies and formula and that sort of thing. It’s the least we can do,” she said. “And I’m Claudia, by the way. Claudia Haversham. I apologize for not introducing myself earlier.” She paused again. “It will be all right. Maya wasn’t hurt badly, just a few cuts and scrapes. If you want to come by and see her, we’ll make an allowance for you, even though it’s past visiting hours. Those of us who work for Barts Health should stick together.”

Molly felt a lump form in her throat. This was so overwhelming and she was being so kind. “Thank you,” she got out. “I’ll be there as soon as I can.” 

“We’ll be waiting,” Claudia said. 

Molly hung up the phone as she felt tears began to form at the corners of her eyes. Oh, this just wasn’t fair. It wasn’t! Rani was so vibrant and full of life, and Clifford was an absolute gem of a man and they were so _happy_ together and they had deserved a long and happy life. They deserved the chance to see Maya grow up and be the beautiful woman Molly knew she was destined to be and now they were gone and Maya was all alone and it just wasn’t _fair._

She let the tears fall for a moment as she looked at her phone, debating whether to call Tom. Oh, she wanted to call him, to cry and vent and rage, but if he couldn’t be bothered to spend time with her and be there _now_ she doubted he would appreciate a call at nearly three in the morning. No, she doubted he would appreciate that very much at all. They would probably have another row and she couldn’t handle that, not tonight. After a moment, she dialed John and Mary’s home number instead, dashing back her tears with the back of her hand. It took three rings, but finally, someone picked up. “Hello?” John asked sleepily.

“Oh, John,” Molly said, trying not to burst into new tears. “I...my friend is dead and I think I seem to have gotten custody of her daughter. Maybe.”

“Molly?” he asked.

“Sorry,” she said. “It’s a bit overwhelming.

“Do you want to talk to Mary?” he asked, his tone soothing.

“Yes, please,” she said.

It took a moment, and she could hear him explaining the situation, but after a moment Mary was on the line. “Oh, love,” Mary said, her tone soft. “Are you alright?”

“No,” Molly said, sniffling. “Rani died in an automobile accident, and her husband too, but Maya survived, and I’m about to head to hospital and...” She sniffed again.

“Which one?” Mary asked.

“Royal London.”

“I’ll meet you there,” Mary said.

“You don’t need to,” Molly said, her eyes wide.

“You’re in no fit state to be dealing with this on your own,” Mary said. “You have to support this little girl on your own, but someone should be there to support _you_ and that someone is going to be me. Don’t argue. I’ll meet you there.” She paused. "No, never mind, I'll pick you up."

Molly nodded, even though Mary couldn’t see her. Truth be told, she was sure she’d fall apart the minute she saw Maya so having Mary there would help immensely, she knew that deep down. “All right,” she said.

“Good. I’ll come pick you up and we’ll go together. And then tomorrow we’ll go get you all the things you need to bring her to your flat. How old is she?”

“Six months. Almost seven,” Molly said.

“So a crib, nappies, formula...”

“The woman who called and told me said the staff would get nappies and formula,” Molly said. “Rani...Rani was a member of Barts Health. The woman said it was the least they could do.” She sniffed again, trying to hold back her tears. “Oh, Mary, what am I going to do?”

“You’ll make sure the little one is all right, see it with your own two eyes, and then you’ll go home and you’ll have a good cry and tomorrow I’ll help set you right and we’ll get things ready for her. And then you’ll do your best to give her everything she needs because you have a big heart and you want what’s best for her,” Mary said soothingly. “I would say everything will be okay, but they may not be, and I’m not the type of woman who gives false hope. But I will say you won’t do it alone. You’ll have help. I’ll guarantee it.”

“Thank you,” Molly said, feeling a tiny spring of hope well up inside her at those words. 

“I’ll see you soon, love. Just be as strong as you can be, alright?”

“Alright,” Molly said before hanging up. She lowered her mobile and then got off the bed to begin to get dressed. She could try and be strong. If she wasn’t going to be alone, even if she couldn’t rely on Tom tonight, she could be strong. She could give Maya that.


	2. Chapter 2

She had thought it would just be Mary who showed up, but she was surprised to see John, too, lugging a heavy looking crib with him. “He insisted on coming, at least here,” Mary said when Molly opened the door to her home. “I told him everything and he said, well...”

“We’ve got time till our little one gets here,” he said, hefting the crib. “I doubt that Mrs. Hudson would mind terribly if you used the crib she gave us because you need it more.”

Fresh tears sprang to Molly’s eyes and Mary pulled her in, rubbing her back. “Let it out, love,” Mary said. “You’re missing your friends and it’s alright to be sad. You have a right to grieve for them.”

Molly nodded as she sobbed, and Mary moved them out of the way so John could come in. She wasn’t thinking about where to put the crib or any of that, and she only barely noticed that John went back out and made another trip in with his arms full while she sobbed into Mary’s shoulder. It had been the right choice to call them, she thought to herself. A much better choice than calling Tom. 

When she was done they moved in completely and John shut the door behind him, and Mary moved to the kitchen to start making them tea. John took over comforting then, leading Molly over to the crib, which was now full of other things. “We had nappies in all sorts of sizes given to us, and Mary said she wanted formula on hand so there’s some tins of that, and a few animals and some bedding for the crib...we still don’t know if it’s a boy or girl so we figured yellow was a safe choice.”

“Oh, thank you,” Molly said, giving her friend a hug from the side. John leaned his head against hers as she sniffed. This..this was amazing. She couldn’t have asked for more on such short notice.

“And tomorrow I know Mary’s going to get more. And if you don’t mind, she’ll probably invite Mrs. Hudson, maybe tell a few people at the surgery...we’ll help you out however we can, Molly. You don’t have to do it alone.”

“So you don’t think Tom’s going to stay,” she said.

John was quiet for a moment. “Truth?”

She nodded. “Truth.”

“He’s pulling away. It’s more obvious than I know you want it to be. I mean, he could surprise us all, be a stand-up guy, but...do you really want him? I suppose that’s the real question. This little one is going to be your responsibility. We can help be part of the village that raises her. You just need to decide if you want Tom in that village, too.”

She nodded again, a little more slowly this time, because he was right. Sod it all, she couldn’t put the decision off forever. She’d been wavering over things, waffling on whether she really wanted this relationship to continue since John and Mary’s wedding, and this...this would be a big push towards making that decision, if she even had the chance. He may make the decision for her whether she wanted him to or not.

But she could deal with that in the morning. Right now she needed a cuppa to get herself settled, and then she needed to see Maya at the hospital. See for herself that her little goddaughter was _really_ okay. She could deal with more of her outpouring of grief and the situation with Tom and whatever else needed to be dealt with regarding all of this tomorrow. Tonight, Maya needed her. She needed to know she wasn’t alone.

She and John sat down on the sofa and soon enough Mary brought them out steaming mugs of tea. Mary knew exactly how she liked it, and when Molly took a sip she started to relax. Eventually, Mary came with her own tea and sat down. “Feel a bit better?” she asked Molly.

“For the moment,” she said. “I’ll probably be a mess after I see Maya.”

Mary and John looked at each other and John nodded in what seemed to be a silent agreement to whatever Mary wanted to get across. “I’ll stay here tonight, and stay with you tomorrow,” Mary said. “In case you need me.”

“Are you sure?” Molly asked, looking at her with surprise.

Mary nodded, reaching over and putting one of her hands over Molly’s. “It’s what any good friend would do,” she replied. “Whenever you’re ready, let me know and we can go to the hospital. I’ll drive your car, and John can stay here and set up the crib for Maya so it’s all set when she comes here tomorrow.”

Molly knew it was silly but she was so thankful Mary didn’t say “when she comes home.” That would have been too much. “I suppose...put the crib in my room for now? It’s the biggest room. If I have company over, they can just...I mean, still use the guest bedroom.”

John nodded. “I’ll do that.” He looked over at her. “It will work out, Molly. You’ll see.”

Molly gave him a small smile tinged with sadness. She hoped it would, she really did, but right now she just wasn’t sure she could voice her agreement. She just wasn’t sure she could do this, even with help, even though she was all Maya had left.


	3. Chapter 3

It didn’t take long for her and Mary to reach Royal London. She approached the entrance with a sense of trepidation, but Mary reached across her shoulders and guided her through the doors to the first person who looked as though they could provide information on where Maya was since the information desk was closed. Molly was glad Mary took charge because she wasn’t sure she could speak right now, her mouth was so dry. She knew Maya wouldn’t understand what she was saying, but how did she explain her mum and Dad were dead? How did she deliver the news that, for all intents and purposes, she was her family now?

Eventually, they were directed to the ward where Maya was at, and Molly was introduced to the nurse she’d spoken with on the phone. Claudia Haversham looked just as friendly as she had sounded, coming over to Molly and Mary with a warm but sad smile. “Maya’s a tough little girl,” she said. “The worst injury is a broken arm, and it’s got to hurt like the dickens, but she’s being a little trooper about it. She hasn’t cried much and seems to enjoy being held.”

“She always has,” Molly said, a small smile on her face. “Any other injuries?”

“Mostly a few tiny cuts from the glass, and some bumps and scrapes,” Claudia said. “She was quite lucky. Someone was watching out for her.”

Molly nodded. She did believe in guardian angels and all that, and perhaps Maya did have one. Or maybe that was her parent’s dying gift, to keep their daughter alive. But it was a maudlin thought and she didn’t want to dwell on it right now. “Is she awake still?”

Claudia shook her head. “She’s just settled off to sleep. But you can hold her for a while if you’d like.”

“I would like that,” Molly said. Claudia began to walk towards a private room and Molly and Mary followed. It was cheerfully decorated for a very young child, with bright colours, and there was a bassinet in the room with machinery nearby. Molly went to the chair next to the bassinet and then looked down. Maya was lying inside, asleep, her sleek black hair covered by a pink knitted cap. Someone had dressed her in a rather pretty onesie that was a similar shade pink that had a rose embroidered on the left side, and she had pink booties on her feet. Claudia carefully lifted her up, being careful not to tangle to wires that were attached to Maya or jostle her arm that was in a plaster cast, and handed her to Molly.

“Oh, she’s a beauty,” Mary said, standing to Molly’s right.

Molly nodded. “Almost the spitting image of her mum, except she got her father’s green eyes,” Molly said, running a finger across Maya’s cheek. “Her mum was from an Indian family, her father was an American who’d come here for university and stayed when he fell in love with Rani. They were mad about each other.” She smiled. “Clifford was a Californian who grew up in foster care. Had no idea who his mum and dad were. He hated the weather out here when it got really cold. Said he was going to buy a surfboard for Maya when she was older and teach her to surf because they would do summers in San Diego.”

“And her mum?” Mary asked.

“Rani’s parents died when she was...twenty, I think. She was an only child, but they had lived long enough to see her meet her future husband and knew she would be happy, and give their blessing to the union, she said. They had gone back to India and something happened there. She never told me what. It seemed to be hard to talk about.” She felt herself start to tear up slightly. “For all I knew about Rani and Clifford, there’s so much I _don’t_ know. I have no idea about their pasts, or what to tell Maya about the kind of people they were or how special they were or anything. And that’s if I get to keep her. This all may be temporary. Someone else may get custody for all I know.”

“One step at a time, love,” Mary said, setting her hand on Molly’s shoulder and squeezing. “Worry about one thing at a time. Maya first, then details later. Alright?”

Molly nodded. “Alright,” she said, looking back at Maya. Right now, the health of this little girl mattered most. The rest...the rest would take care of itself, she supposed.


	4. Chapter 4

Sleep that night was hard to come by when they returned to her flat, and Molly found herself tossing and turning and slipping out of bed much earlier than she usually did. She was rather surprised to see Mary already in the kitchen, puttering around and having gotten a fresh pot of coffee started. “I assumed it would be a hard night,” she said.

Molly nodded and went into her kitchen, beginning to get her coffee ready. “I’d wake up and look at the crib in the room and it would throw me into a panic,” she said. “I’ve wanted children, but...am I really ready? I mean, if I’m allowed to keep Maya. There may be some long lost relative of Rani’s who will sweep in and take her back to India for all I know.”

Mary was quiet for a moment. “I _might_ have talked to the nurse a bit and gotten the names of your friends. Their...full names,” she said. “And I _might_ not have slept at all last night because I was researching them.”

“Why?” Molly asked.

Mary tilted her head back and forth. “Well, some habits rub off. My husband helps the world’s only consulting detective, I hear about the cases, one of my best friends worries she might lose this child she’s being asked to take care of, I figure researching their backgrounds might not be a bad idea and if nothing else, you’ll have things to tell Maya?”

Molly wanted to be cross but truth be told if the news was in her favour she wouldn’t be mad at all. “And?” she asked.

“Rani has no family to speak of. Her parents had gone to India to look for any remaining family they had left but hadn’t found any before they were killed in a mugging. As far as Rani would have known, she was truly alone in the world. Clifford became an emancipated minor at sixteen to come here to go to Oxford and he never kept in touch with anyone from his foster care days.”

Molly had the feeling that this information was found by more than just cursory searches but she didn’t want to question her friend too much. She’d always had the feeling the reason Sherlock had liked her so much was Mary was just as smart and resourceful as he was, and that meant using some not-so-legal methods to get information if need be. She wasn’t about to question how she got the information when it pointed to her most likely being the one who would end up taking care of Maya. She simply nodded and went back to her coffee. “Alright.”

She could hear Mary utter an almost inaudible sigh of relief and then turn to the porridge she was making. Molly was thankful it was something nice and bland; her stomach was in knots and she couldn’t take anything heavy. “I was thinking we could go pick up a few things for her on the way back from picking her up after we see what Claudia is able to give you,” she said. “I mean, John and I gave you a few nice things, but she deserves more until you’re able to...”

“Get her own things?” Molly said quietly.

“Yeah,” Mary said.

“If I’m able to,” Molly said. “I may be Maya’s godmum but I don’t know if I’m the executor of the will, or if they had a will or any of that.” Molly sighed and planted her hands on the kitchen worktop. “This is all so...” She couldn’t figure out the words to say next, but Mary wrapped her arms around Molly and pressed her belly into her side and set her chin on her shoulder, and Molly took her strength from her friend. Somehow she’d manage to get through this, she would. She’d be fine, Maya would be fine, and all would be well.

She hoped.


	5. Chapter 5

Claudia wasn’t there when they went to go pick Maya up from the hospital, as she was able to be released that day as she was mostly fine and the custody situation had been sorted out to the hospital’s satisfaction, but she had done well to her word on getting supplies for Molly. Where was more than she could have possibly expected in such a short time when she and Mary arrived at the hospital at half past ten: at least two months supplies of nappies and formula, a pram, a diaper bag, clothing, more stuffed animals, a car seat, just in case...the nurse who helped get it all to Molly’s car said that they had expected her to be overwhelmed and when Claudia had told the staff about the situation most oncoming shift nurses had gone out before their shift and bought things, and others had brought things from home. Molly didn’t know what to say and it was all she could do not to cry, but she did promise to bring Maya around often as thanks.

Once Maya, who had been changed into a new outfit of a onesie with bright yellow daisies with matching solid yellow booties and trousers, was settled into the car seat, they were about to pull out of the car park when Molly’s mobile rang and she saw it was Tom. She froze for a moment but knew she had to answer it. “Hello,” she said.

“Why are there baby things at your flat?” he asked. “Watching one of your mates kids for a bit?”

She bit her lip, trying to decide how to tell him, and then decided to just do it all in one go. “Tom, Rani and Clifford were killed in a vehicular accident last night. For the time being, at least, I have custody of their daughter Maya.” There was a long pause, long enough that she started to wonder if he’d even heard what she’d said. “Tom?”

“You inherited their kid?” he finally said.

“Well, I’m her godmum,” she replied. “I’m not going to leave her to go into state care.”

“Why not?”

She knew her jaw had dropped at that statement. There it was, the crystal clear statement that showed why they would not work. Even if he acquiesced on this, even if he grew to accept and love Maya, the fact he had suggested for even a moment Maya be let into state care was the end of it all. “Tom, I don’t...I think you need to go.”

“Molly?”

“Tom, Maya is my goddaughter. I made a promise to her mum that I would take care of her if anything happened to them, and something did, and I fully intend to keep that promise. And if you don’t understand that, then I can’t see you anymore. Leave your key on the counter and just...go.”

“I don’t believe this,” he said, and then he hung up.

Molly pulled the phone away and then looked at Mary. “We may have to go to the flat first before we get things for Maya.”

“Oh, I doubt we need to get much more right away,” she said, starting the car. “Let’s go make sure your flat is still in one piece first.” They drove out of the car park in near silence, not even turning on the car radio, a churning in Molly’s stomach making her too nervous to do much more than concentrating on Maya when she fussed. When they got to her flat Molly took her time tending to Maya, getting her out of the car, dreading what she might find. Mary must have known because she walked resolutely into the flat first and then came out a few minutes later when Molly was finally venturing towards her home. “He didn’t do anything other than leave a rather nasty note on a piece of paper on the kitchen worktop.”

Molly felt a weight lift off her shoulders. “And his keys?”

“On top of them. Did he have things here?”

“A few,” Molly said.

Mary reached out for Maya. “You go check if he took them and _just_ them. I’ll get her settled and bring her new things in.”

Molly nodded and went inside, looking around. Tom had in fact taken his things, and other than one or two items he’d had a dubious claim on she could stand to lose, nothing that hadn’t really belonged to him. She saw the note on the worktop but avoided it for the moment, knowing she’d read it later when she could have a glass of wine and a good cry, if she could. She wasn’t sure if that was an option with a six-month-old baby under the roof now.

Instead, she went and helped Mary bring things in and get them settled. They looked at everything they had and considered whether it was best to keep it all in Molly’s room or store it in the guest bedroom, and in the end, most of it went into the guest bedroom. She had the feeling if Maya did stay with her permanently once she got out of the crib that bedroom would become hers unless they felt the need to move to a new flat. It would most likely be a decision they made together as opposed to one she made herself, which, with the dissolution of her engagement, gave her some comfort.

When they were done she carried Maya to the sofa, sitting down on one end. Mary joined her a moment later, rubbing her back. “Do you want to read the letter?” she asked.

Molly shook her head, rubbing Maya’s back as the little girl was now asleep. “Not particularly. Not until I can have a good cry over it.”

“I think my husband won’t mind if I stay one more night for that,” Mary said with a grin, reaching over and patting Molly’s knee.

Molly gave her a smile. “Thank you, Mary. I appreciate it.”

“Well, what are friends for, after all?” she asked. She smiled over at them. “You look like you’ll be a natural.”

“I hope I will,” Molly said. “I called my superiors and took compassionate leave for a bit so I can get used to the situation and take care of any matters that come up with the legal side of things, and then just to adjust, and they’ll be quite accommodating as well. And if I do retain custody word has already been put in for Maya at the creche, apparently.”

Mary nodded. “Good start.” She gave Molly’s knee another pat and then stood up. “A cuppa sounds nice right now, don’t you think?”

“Yes, it does,” Molly said. Mary made her way to the kitchen and Molly followed with her eyes. She knew it wouldn’t be easy, but she hoped it wouldn’t be impossible, now that she knew she was going to do this on her own.


End file.
